Isaac Price thought he would allow Rouches to grab, at least, a point against Ghent. It was without counting on VAR, then Franck Surdez. Ultimately logical defeat for Standard, who will spend the holidays in a delicate position.
Last meeting of the calendar year in Sclessin, during which Standard hosted La Gantoise this Sunday. Deprived of the suspended Ibe Hautekiet, Ivan Leko lines up Aiden O'Neill in central defense, with Marko Bulat in midfield. Wouter Vrancken, for his part, is without the injured Mathias Delorge.
Standard's midfield drowned
On the pitch, the pattern of recent weeks is repeated for the Rouches, who leave the ball to Ghent. The technical waste of Liégeois is however omnipresent and, at times, unworthy of a Jupiler Pro League meeting. La Gantoise therefore continues the strikes, via Dean (7th), a deviation from Watanabe (8th), Gambor (12th), Gerkens (15th) and Dean, again (22nd).
Sends each time off target or pushed back by Matthieu Epolo, who nevertheless confirmed that the Buffalos largely dominated this meeting. Despite their eleven attempts (!) in the first period, Wouter Vrancken's players failed to score before the break. A small miracle for a very weak Standard, whose only sending, off target, was made by an underperforming Isaac Price (4th).
Ivan Leko also realized that his team was not going to get through this way. The Rouches midfielder has his head completely underwater and is running into space. The Croatian T1 therefore decides, for the restart, to return Aiden O'Neill to his position as number 6, and remove Marko Bulat to bring in Ilay Camara, on the left. And in this role, the Australian did well.
O'Neill's repositioning did some good, but wasn't enough
Gradually, despite the new injury to Souleyman Doumbia, replaced by Daan Dierckx, Standard put its nose to the window. Sutalo's recovery, well served by Ayensa, was blocked (63rd), while the former Union striker's off-rectangle shot flew over (65th). More present in the duels than in the first period, Price recovers a good ball and serves Ayensa. The Rouches number 11 begins the counterattack, attracts Watanabe and returns the ball to Price, who scores. A goal canceled by the VAR, for offside (67th).
Ten minutes before the end, the bad luck continued for Rouches, while Sutalo had released the ball before holding his adductor. The Croatian defender finally returned to the pitch, but he was unable to do anything about the advance of Atsuki Ito, left completely free in the heart of the game. His shot, repelled, but not captured by Epolo, arrived on the head of Surdez, in front of the goal which had become empty (0-1, 81st).
Standard thought it would make the hold-up, but ultimately logically bowed to Ghent. No last victory of the calendar year at Sclessin for the Rouches, who have won only one of their last seven matches. La Gantoise maintains its fifth place and will spend the holidays warm, in the top 6. Standard, with this setback, is tenth.
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